14th August 2007 – Liverpool Social Forum

A small meeting of only 6 people.

Opening Week Events -

Discussion of events for the opening week of the social centre. This week will play a big role in defining the centre and so need to be well organised and well publicised.

Events so far confirmed:

Saturday 15th September - Opening night gig and party
Sunday 16th - tidy up
Friday 21st - play
Saturday 22nd - afternoon/early evening Zapitista event

To add to this – Indymedia night, conspiracy night and film night.

Also suggested Climate Camp aftermath meeting and an introducing anarchism meeting. There was a strong preference expressed for speaker/discussion meetings which are more up front about their politics this is supposed to be a political space after all.

We need the list of events finalised in short order so that publicity can be sorted as this is key to the success of the events. Matt to take this on while people are galivanting around Heathrow.

Projector -

Catalyst Media want to borrow the projector for a gig – there's been much discussion on list about it. The projector has been leant out numerous time before, but only for film showings and speaker meetings (Vegan food fairs, Oaxaca speaker tour).

We should be sharing resources – especially with groups like Catalyst who've offered us a great deal of support in the past. This was accepted in principle by everyone.

However, there is concern that a gig is not the safest environment for a delicate piece of equipment which we cannot afford to replace.

It was suggested that we ask for a deposit or an undertaking to replace/repair it if it gets damaged. It was pointed out that projectors do fail and that this may not be a fair way of doing it – the bulb could blow on someone just out of wear and tear and land them with a bill that isn't their fault.

Matt M will talk to Adam to see how essential the projector is to the event and to ask what they can do to look after it. On that basis we should be able to lend it out.

We need to sort out exactly how we sort out resource sharing in future. This covers tools, the PA, the projector and all other equipment.

SWP/Lindsey German Book Launch:

The SWP want to stage a book launch with Lindsey German (SWP central committee member) on Wednesday 26th September, our second week of opening.

No one trusts the SWP. It is quite possible that this meeting is an attempt to put down a place marker, to associate the centre with the SWP and their politics early on in its life. Some people felt strongly that this was the case.

Others felt that whilst this was perfectly possible, it probably wasn't what was going in this case and that it was coincidence the party approaching News From Nowhere when it did.

It was felt that refusing the meeting would be confrontational. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is something that would be difficult for the wider group to reach consensus on.

It was decided to allow the meeting, but to keep an eye on the situation so that the SWP don't start to dominate our schedules.

It was pointed out that in a lot of ways this is a publicity issue. We need to put ourselves out there at least to the same extent as the SWP do in order that our approach to things is as well known as theirs.

Matt M was asked before the meeting whether The Stop the War Coalition could use the centre on August 30th for their meeting. This clashes with the Social Centre Group meeting and the back room is still full of tools so this is not possible. However, this does raise the issue of how to deal with block bookings in future. A member of the collective is going to have to be present when other groups use the centre to open and lock up. We also need to sort out whether we're charging or not.

It was agreed to try and thrash out an agenda in advance of the next meeting as there are issues that need settling as soon as possible.

News Letter:

Dave is going to do another issue and would appreciate articles and help. He's getting a bit tired of the project and so we need fresh blood if its going to continue.

Climate Camp:

Last minute arrangements were put in place.

A Climate Camp aftermath public/speaker meeting would be a very good idea. No decision on when to hold it, probably not as part of the opening week.